Broken Promises (COMPLETED)

Chapter 50 - Healing

Photo Credit : http://www.philstar.com/movies/reviews/2014/08/05/1354175/cinemalaya-2014-watch-mariquina-milo-sogueco

Hello my dears, I am still shaken from my previous chapter and was completely amazed by the feedback. I have such mature readers, so good at heart and ready to forgive, as seen with the feedback over Daniel's death. I love how almost everyone could forgive his misdeeds and were ready to give him another chance, just to see him still alive.

Thank you for the wonderful sharing and feedback. I encourage you to please read each other's comments, because we have friends who need healing and friendship. It would be wonderful if this story made friends out of us all, diba? :)

So after the storm and pain comes healing, and I believe Richard and Dei have already crossed over to this path. It is Trina's time to heal too. Hope you like this chapter as it closes the book on Daniel's feud with Richard.  

When Trina realized what Daniel was about to do, she asked the driver to turn around. Fear, guilt and shame all crowded in her head, she hoped she wasn't too late. But he was gone by the time she arrived. The building security already cordoned off the area where he fell, and his blood was still on the marble flooring of the outdoor dining area of one of the restaurants in the ground floor.

Her knees weakened, she did not make her presence felt nor did she approach the area. She went up to their unit, hoping against hope, wishing it was someone else and not Daniel who jumped to his death. But the condo was silent and empty. She checked their bedroom, saw his white undershirt and boxers discarded on the floor as though he were just in the shower like some days. She smiled through her tears, remembering fondly how Daniel could be such a slob, she was always picking up after his scattered things.

Picking up the shirt and boxers, she folds them neatly and sits by the bed. It was then that she noticed the Condominium Certificate of Title on the nightstand, and the note he left for her.

Trina,

Thank you for the three years you spent with me, even though I know you would rather be somewhere else. Was I wrong to think that you felt something for me too? I hoped and felt we had something, but I guess I imagined it all.

I love you, Trina.

I can say this now because I won't get to see your rejection. I hope you can remember me as the man who took care of you rather than the one who held you captive. I'm sorry for all the pain I caused you. I wish you happiness, my love.

Dan

She looked at the CCT, noticing her name as the owner. He took care of transferring the condo in her name, along with all the necessary documentation and fees paid. It was all there in the sheaf of papers stapled together.

She was an emotional mess.

She took his shirt and buried her face in it, gave in to the feeling that she kept inside her. She did love him back, she realized that now. She could have left, a long time ago but she chose to stay. But how do you admit loving someone who used you, manipulated you into staying and remaining a weak person?

So many what ifs. What if she did tell him, maybe she could have inspired him to be a better person and they would have a chance at being happy. What if she showed more of her feelings, gave more of herself so that he felt less defensive and more nurtured? All the what ifs taunted her. 

It was too late.

-----

Trina waited nervously for Dei and Richard to arrive from Sunday Mass with their family in the patio of the Faulkerson residence. She asked Richard for this appointment, a week after Daniel was cremated, wanting to tie up all loose ends before she and her mother went back to Laoag where they originated from, and settle there permanently.

She had no idea how Richard would react upon seeing her, their last meeting was that scandalous incident where he caught her and Daniel getting intimate in the conference room. She held on to the cross pendant of her necklace, a gift from Daniel on their first year together. How ironic that he would give her an icon representing her faith, when he was an antagonist of everything good that she believed in.

The sliding of a van's passenger door stirred her out of her musings and made her sit up, anticipating facing Richard. She stood as the door opened, self-consciously arranging her shirt and hair, facing the door to see her former boss.

"Trina...." Richard said solemnly, giving her a reassuring hug. The gesture made her sob uncontrollably, remembering everything that she went through in the past week. He tapped her back reassuringly, disengaging from her and gestured for her to sit down.

"You remember Dei.....and this is our son Thirdy." Dei gave her a silent nod while Thirdy looked on, his index finger in his mouth, sucking contentedly.

"Richard, I won't stay long. I just came to give you this." It was the CCT for the Condominium Daniel left for her, and an ATM card with Daniel's name printed on the face of the card. Richard looked at her questioningly, waiting for an explanation.

"Richard, Tony didn't take the company funds, he was blackmailed by Daniel to do that. When Daniel saw that you were close to learning the truth about his shady deals, he made Tony take the fall." She lay down the papers and card in front of Richard. 

"Daniel left me his condo unit and about a million in his bank account. I....I'm sorry I never tried to help you in the past. I owed Daniel a favor and....to be honest, I started to have feelings for him."

"How can you have feelings for someone so evil, Trina? He took advantage of you."

"Richard, I know he caused you and Dei so much pain. True, he took advantage of me. But when he took me in, he took care of me. He may have spoken harshly, but I was safe with him. I know it's hard to comprehend, but I owe him my mother's life. Take the condo, Richard, and the money in his account. This is my way of making up for not helping you all those years."

Richard looked at Dei, as if to consult her on what to do. But Dei merely nodded, giving him the freedom to do as he thought best. Without hesitation, Richard turned her down.

"Trina, there's no bad blood between us. I never begrudged you for staying with him, or for remaining neutral. I owe you for warning us about the substandard materials, that alone proves you're still a friend. If Daniel left the condo for you, I'm sure he had his reasons for doing so. This thing with Daniel, it all started with money, and never again will I let money control me. God has been good to me and my family, we've recovered and have become stronger. We're good."

They shook hands, Dei and Trina hugged.

The old wounds Daniel created were finally healed, there was no bitterness in the hearts of the people he hurt the most.

As Daniel was laid to rest, his most noteworthy accomplishment was proving that there are people innately good and unshaken in their faith. His misdeeds created stronger people out of the weak, deeper love out of what was already steadfast.